Dice W/ Death: Webisodes With Grendeline

At the beginning of last game, Grendeline spotted a hobo-sign of sorts carved into the base of a door in the village of Barovia. She recognized it instantly as the glyphic shorthand Ezmerelda was teaching her, the secret cant of the loosely allied professional monster hunters. This obviously meant Ez had meant to make contact but couldn't enter the Hall of Joy and moved on.

Knowing she didn't have long to roam freely while the mists were keeping everybody else indoors, Grendeline parted ways from the group saying "uh, I think my mentor wants to talk to me or something, and I have to do it alone, she hates crowds" (which is true, she is legendarily paranoid and would probably try to slay the tentacle-faced Septimus on sight.)

It took all night, but the glyphs turned out to denote a pattern of houses across the village. Looking in through the windows, Grendeline notices a number of toys and daguerrotypes of children in each - but no kids actually present. The adults, for their part, seemed even more blissed out than the folks who initially fake-smiled at the party when they arrived in town. That was fear of the Abbey. These people look...drugged.

The final hunter signs combine "DOCTOR" "WOMAN" and "MANY-FACES". Which refers to shapeshifters and dishonesty in different contexts. Not sure which, here.

Ezmerelda obviously didn't have time to deal with this herself - you don't know if that was about the werewolves that are likely still hunting her - or the Abbey itself, of which she seemed more afraid. But if Ez took an interest in this bad-lady-doctor, it is likely she is all-caps EVIL.

These final glyphs happened to be outside a house near the edge of town. Out back, you find a a leather bound journal, also in this shorthand. You don't know enough to decipher it all, but you think this is a repository of all that Ez knows about hunting beasts in man-suits. With this, you could teach yourself a damn sight more than she ever had time to show you - but it'll take time. Also, who knows, could be a factoid or two about Barovia in the mix.

Coming back around in front, Grendeline peeks through the window of this last house. Looking back at her is a faded portrait of the smart, gothy little girl who took a shine to Grendeline and warned the party about the Hall of Joy. Her parents, barely wisps of people now, are still dressed up from the parade but are splayed out on the floor, idly running their fingers through each others' hair, eyes adrift and smiles too wide. Whether Grendeline acts on this is up to you, but it's what she's been up to.